Ledyard High football player dies after collapsing

Published 7:00 pm, Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Sad news from the state's sports family comes out of Ledyard High School this morning.

According to the Associated Press, a 16-year-old Ledyard High School student has died three days after he collapsed while playing in a junior varsity football game.

A spokesman for Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford says Matthew Buriak was taken off life support Tuesday and died at 2 p.m. The cause of death was not released.

Ledyard School Superintendent Michael Graner says doctors determined that Buriak’s death was not related to a sports injury. The teen collapsed Saturday as Ledyard’s junior varsity football team played at Fitch High School in Groton. He’ll be honored Thursday during Ledyard and Fitch’s annual Thanksgiving Day game.

A wake is scheduled for Friday and Buriak’s funeral will be on Saturday.